Cleaning Out The Closet
 

Since a new thread hasn't been started yet, I'm posting this on a separate thread.

Silver Birch discussed cleaning her closet of clothes that not longer fit, or no longer fit the way they used to. This is something I just did this week. I lost 20 lbs in 2008 and have been maintaining that loss for 9 years. LOL Otherwise, bouncing up and down the same 5 lbs. In my defense, most of the clothes that don't fit are due to some shrinkage in the laundry, and body changes from a surgery I had. Most of these clothes I like and would like to be able to wear again. So I pulled them out, and am storing them in a space bag in the basement. I guess wearing them again could be a goal, to get me back in weight-loss mode. Space bags are great storage!

I did get rid of my fat clothes way back, because I had worn them for so long, not wanting to buy bigger clothes that size, and they were pretty much shot. But to me, getting rid of these too-tight clothes is like giving up....thinking I will never get down to a weight where I can wear them again. I am not ready for that.

My best friend recently lost 35 lbs. She is a minimalist, and has nothing in her house that she is not currently using, so she got rid of all her smaller clothes as she grew out of them. Now she is sorry, that she had to go out and spend $$$ on a new wardrobe. As that might be fun for some, it's heartbreaking to have to do that on Social Security.

So, Silver Birch, my suggestion is to donate anything that you wouldn't wear again if you lost more...like things that are out of style. Put them in a Space Bag. With the help of your vacuum hose, they really flatten out and don't take up much space.

I've gained enough to have to go back to the looser clothes, about a size upward. Except in shirts. Two years of upper body work has changed my shoulders, so they are filling out any closely cut shirts in an uncomfortable way.

I'm not ready to do any purging, but I am questioning the stylishness of some of my older clothes and getting ready to be rid of them for that reason. My look has been changing and becoming slightly more bohemian than office-ready.

I found out just how sad it is to have gotten rid of clothes and then regained. I'm much more careful now about what I eliminate. If something is too tight, there's no way I'm going to wear it. I don't like that feeling. If something is too loose, I can get by until it looks like I'm swimming in it.

And speaking of swimming, I also discovered that giving away swimsuits can be a mistake. I have four now, in four different sizes. I won't toss any swimsuit again until it wears out and it's time to replace it.

Yes, Wannabe, we're obviously space bag sisters. Those clothes I talked about had been stored in a space bag in the DB's room for a number of years. We're a keep or chuck household and that's exactly what I did a few days ago. We always have a charity shop bag being filled and I'm on very friendly terms with a couple of the local ones! The secret, I believe, is to leave the shop with less than you took in.

Love this, saef. It can only do you good. Blow what the office thinks.

Jeans. They're currently my closet nemesis. I have them in ALL sizes yet only 2 or 3 pair actually fit in such a way as I feel comfortable in them! I have a pair from about 8 years ago that are my "dream" pair that I really want to be able to wear again. I wonder if it'd make me try harder if I pinned them up in a place where I'll see them all the time?

What's the problem with the dream pair, Allison? Just too small overall or the wrong shape?

There was a charity drive for jeans at a local grocery chain last year. I had about 15 pairs, 3 of which I wore. All the same size 8 - I've had the same body comp since joining maintainers 8 years ago - but with various rises.

I gave away 10 pairs and now find I wear all of the remaining 5. I buy and chuck other things quite regularly but the jeans were what I was hanging on to for no reason that I can remember.

Dagmar :dizzy:

Oh, I don't even want to talk about jeans! But I will. LOL I have so many. I had bowel surgery in 2012 and since that time I have not been able to wear any jeans with a waistline, and I hate elastic waists. They look so "old lady" and at 71, I am not there yet. I'm wearing them, but I'm not happy about it. I'm holding onto the zip and button ones on the hopes I can lose some inches in my waist. I can pull them up just fine, but there's a big gap in the front.

A department store in our area has a Goodwill Sale every year. For each item you bring in to donate, you get a coupon for % off a new item.

Oh, yes, much too small! But they have such a flattering cut--more of a "dressy" jean. I just love them and how they used to fit me.

The first pair of jeans that I bought after losing the menopause weight were cheap ones from Old Navy but they were very low rise sexy and they fit me like the proverbial glove. I wore them on a vacation to NYC and lots of people there looked at me.

I hung on to them for years, even after my body comp resulted in my having major "muffin top" when I put them on. It was the idea of being regarded as sexy in them in the past that made me keep them.

Dagmar :dizzy:

Im 70. I know just what you mean. Ive managed to lose enough to wear my old jeans but they just don't fit the same due to excess waist.

FYI if the gap isn't too big you can do the rubber band trick. Use a hair elastic that matches the color of your pants.Loop it around your button. Then thread the elastic through the buttonhole then back over the button.

First of all, it is rather interesting of having the clothes great choice. That is the reason why a lot of people are looking for the reliable place to keep their house, clothes, equipment in a good form. As you can do with the help of professionals.

What is this?

A very old thread where no one posts.

Dagmar :shrug: